Portland Holidays 2013

You're probably here because you're looking for a Portland Holiday in 2013 - well, Portland Holidays have become part of
Thomson Holidays now. In fact,
Portland Holidays has been owned by Thomson for several years, but since 2011 the Portland brand has been stopped, and all holidays
are now sold through Thomson. All's not lost though - it's still worth having a look at Thomson to see what they can offer you in the
way of a good deal.

Dominican Republic

When Christopher Columbus first discovered the island dream that is Hispaniola,
he claimed that it surpassed the rest of the world in terms of natural beauty.
Today, the Dominican Republic as it is now known, is still as enchanting as ever.
Golden beaches wrap themselves around the Caribbean's highest peaks and rivers race
down through exotic tropical forests to emerald seas.

A laidback Caribbean lifestyle and a Hispanic passion for partying mingle and
merge along the northern shores of the Dominican Republic. From Bahia Maimon
along the coast to Sosua, resorts have emerged so the carnival atmosphere has a
backdrop of natural beauty, with the golden sands that fringe the rugged coastline
and lead down to the clear, warm waters of the Atlantic. Whether you're a sun
worshipper or a water baby, you'll find what you need, with worldclass water sports,
coral reefs to explore and soft sand to recline on. It's no wonder that most Portland
guests rate their holiday experience good to excellent.

What the Dominican Republic lacks in frills, it makes up for in friendliness. As
it is a developing country, the cuisine is simple and the nightlife is relatively
unsophisticated, but the energy and enthusiasm of the people put more developed
places to shame. Sample some of the local spirit at one of the many festivals held
throughout the year, or simply sip some of the local rum! The resorts are geared
towards the European guest, with the All Inclusive packages on offer widely recognised
as the best value for money in the Caribbean.

Aside from the facilities in the resorts, the island's natural attractions are well
worth exploring, including the Jarabacoa Mountains, where you can pit yourself against
nature's might with a whitewater rafting excursion.

The Dominican Republic - where the colourful character of the Caribbean comes to life.

Food & Wine in The Dominican Republic
The food in the Dominican Republic is a healthy mix of influences, fusing Caribbean
spice with Latin American flavour. Specialities include wonderful seafood delicacies
and stews such as 'el moro', a mixture of kidney beans, rice and meat, and 'el sancocho',
a soup of meat, potato, banana, carrots and vermicelli. The local sugar cane industry
makes for some great sweet cocktails such as the delicious 'mojito'. To be a true
local you should get stuck into the island's beer, 'Presidente', perhaps accompanied
by some spicy chicken cooked on a beachside barbecue.

Days & Nights in The Dominican Republic
Each resort along the coast offers a different type of nightlife. Semana is particularly
laidback, Cabarete has a more sophisticated feel while Sosua is the place to go for a
lively night with plenty of vibrant bars to choose from. Why not give salsa a go while you're
here? The locals will be happy to teach you a step or two.

Sights & Sounds in The Dominican Republic
Sightseeing: Gri Gri Lagoon in Playa Grande makes a fascinating adventure. A large lagoon
lying hidden in the midst of dense mangrove swamps, it can be reached by motorised boat.
You'll enter a hidden world of natural wonder and beauty where you can witness some of
the Dominican Republic's rarest species.

Sun & Sand in The Dominican Republic
The golden sand that stretches along the whole coast is punctuated by the occasional
tropical forest or rocky cove. Some of the more popular sandy delights are at Sosua
which is blessed with wide beaches bordered by lofty coconut trees and an exotic reef.
Cabarete is as popular as it is stunning and is also the home to what many consider to be
one of the best windsurfing bays in the world. If surfboards are more your thing you can
catch some good waves just to the west of Cabarete.

Portland Holidays have 1000's of package holiday resorts around the world. We have provided details
of the most popular locations. However, you can use the search facility at the top of this page to
search for a holiday in any of Portland Holiday's package holiday resorts.

Thomas Cook Holidays have over 100 package holiday resorts around the world. We have provided details of the most popular locations. However, you can use the search facility at the top of this page to search for a holiday in any of Thomas Cook's package holiday resorts.

Thomson Holidays have over 100 package holiday resorts around the world. We have provided details of the most popular locations. However, you can use the search facility at the top of this page to search for a holiday in any of Thomson Holiday's package holiday resorts.